The Chronicles of Neffie is about a fifteen-year-old slave girl in Alabama in 1837. Told through her eyes and in her voice, this book will grab hold of you and not let go. You will experience her pains, her thoughts, her feelings, and her desires. Her biggest desire is to be free.
If you want to learn how slaves were treated by masters that weren’t nice, this book will show you. It also shows how there were white people who felt for the slaves and disagreed with the cruel and inhumane ways they were treated.
Neffie is at the age where her body is changing and men are starting to notice her. That was a bad age for Neffie. Her master notices the changes she is going through as well and does everything he can to be alone with her. Fortunately for Neffie, she has protectors.
I can’t begin to imagine having to live the way Neffie did. I doubt there are people of any color today—unless you live in a place where slavery is still flourishing—who can imagine having to live the way Neffie did. I’ve read other books that were about slavery before and all the horrible things that they went through. But reading this book was like having Neffie talk to me directly. I cried for Neffie, I hurt for Neffie, and I cheered Neffie on when things were going her way.
a young girl in the slave-trade labor force of West Africa, Women’s UN Report Network
That being said, I detested her master and the slave girl Reisa, who wanted nothing more than to hurt Neffie. Soap-opera shenanigans went on around this girl who was deceived and believed that she was more privileged than the other slaves.
If this book had been around years ago when I homeschooled my children, they would have read it. It is a book that I would highly recommend for homeschoolers and for those who are in public or private schools.
The only complaint I have about this book is that there are times when entire conversations are crammed into one paragraph instead of a new paragraph starting each time the speaker changes. Those paragraphs had to be read a bit slower.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you would like your own copy, I’ve provided an Amazon link below.
Recommended Articles:
The Story Behind The Chronicles of Neffie – Guest Post by A. L. Gibson
A. L. Gibson Interview: Writing The Chronicles of Neffie
reading, pexels
Amazon Link: The Chronicles of Neffie
Favorite Sentences:
My burlap straw stuffed mat hides a secret, a big secret that could really get me in trouble if Massa Sanderson ever finds out, but he ain’t gone ever find out.
That’s the best way I can tell them hissy White folks to kiss my Black behind.
He’s known to lie on slaves to their slave Massas just so he could watch them get punished.
Miss Reisa is about as foolish as a cow drinking whiskey.
I’m telling you, somebody needs to stuff that mouth of her with sawdust and tar.
About the Author:
A.L. Gibson is a short story author, novelist, blogger and poet. Her debut novel, Poka City Blues, received positive reviews from Readers’ Favorite and Writer’s Digest. Her first novel series, The Chronicles of Neffie, received a top review from Midwest Book Review and Readers’ Favorite. When she is not writing or blogging, you can find her on the nearest bike trail. Feel free to connect with A.L. on Instagram and Twitter @bookinganita. You can also visit her website, www.bookinganita.com, to sign up for emails about new releases, contests, and upcoming writing projects.
